Hellespont (TurkishÇanakkale Boğazı, GreekἙλλήσποντος; i.e. "Sea of Helle",
variously named in classical literature Hellespontium
Pelagus, Rectum Hellesponticum, and Fretum
Hellesponticum) was the ancient name of the narrow strait, now known by the modern
European term the
Dardanelles. It was so called from Helle, the
daughter of Athamas, who was
drowned here in the mythology of the Golden Fleece. The Hellespont is one of
the Turkish
Straits, along with the Bosporus, that separate Anatolia from the continent of Europe.

Herodotus tells us
that c. 482 BC the king Xerxes I
of Persia
(the son of Darius) had two bridges built across the
width of the Hellespont at Abydos in order
that his huge army, ostensibly made of 5 million men (most
historians put the actual number of this army at closer to 250,000
men, though a second school of thought lends the accounts of
Herodotus more credence, bringing the number closer to 400,000),
could cross from Persia into Greece. This crossing was named by Aeschylus in his tragedy
The
Persians as the cause of divine intervention against
Xerxes.[1]

The Hellespont was also the body of water which Leander would
cross in order to tryst with his beloved, the priestess Hero. Lord
Byron famously swam the Hellespont as a feat of his athletic
prowess on May 3rd 1810. [2]. This
event is recreated every year as a swim event. [3]

Xerxes'
Crossing

An artist's illustration depicting Xerxes' alleged "punishment" of
the Hellespont

According to Herodotus (vv.34), both bridges were
destroyed by a storm and Xerxes had those responsible for
building the bridges beheaded and the strait itself whipped. The
Histories of Herodotus vii.33-37 and vii.54-58 give details of
Xerxes' building and crossing of the bridges. Xerxes is then said
to have thrown fetters into
the strait, given it three hundred lashes and branded it with
red-hot irons as the soldiers shouted at the water. [4]

Herodotus commented that this was a "highly presumptuous way to
address the Hellespont" but in no way atypical of Xerxes.
(vii.35)

Harpalus the engineer eventually
helped the invading armies to cross by lashing the ships together
with their bows facing the current and two additional anchors.

From LoveToKnow 1911

HELLESPONT (i.e. " Sea of Helle "; variously
named in classical literature `EXXjairovros, 6 " EXigs Irovros,
Hellespontum Pelagus, and Fretum Hellesponticum), the
ancient name of the Dardanelles. It was so-called from Helle,
the daughter of Athamas, who
was drowned here. See Argonauts.